1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to decorative center pieces, and more particularly to a centerpiece assembly which simulates a bouquet of cut flowers, the bouquet being composed of floral-like elements whose stem is formed by a tubular wand filled with pellets of edible candy and crowned with a flower-like pom-pom.
2. Status of Prior Art
On festive occasions, such as an engagement, a confirmation or a birthday party, it is often the practice to adorn each table where the guests gather with a centerpiece in the form of a vase or bowl containing a bouquet of cut flowers. At the conclusion of the party, the flowers are usually distributed to the guests as a memento of the occasion.
When the festive occasion is a birthday party for a child and many of the guests are children, the tables are usually laden with candy. And at the conclusion of the party, each child in attendance is given as a parting gift a small bag of candy, for most children attach little value to flowers.
To entertain young guests at a child's party or on other festive occasions, one often engages for this purpose a professional magician who performs feats of magic, such as making a live rabbit disappear from sight. Essential to this act is a wand which the magician waves to invoke mysterious forces for executing the magical feat. Wands have been associated with the supernatural since time immemorial. Thus fairies, good or bad, are often shown carrying wands, and even the magic flute, whose sounds are reputed to have magical powers, is a wand-like instrument.
The present invention takes into account not only the decorative floral function of a centerpiece for festive occasions, but also the role of candy and wands on such occasions.
Of prior art interest is the Rosenwald U.S. Pat. No. 1,491,926, which discloses a support for a bunch of cut flowers in the form of a vase having installed therein, one above the other, two grids adapted to receive the stems of the cut flowers so as to hold these flowers at different angles.
The flower arranging vase shown in the Fertig U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,118 serves a similar purpose; for the wall of this vase is perforated so that the stems of the flowers inserted in these apertures extend outwardly from the side of the vase, while the stems of the flowers received in the mouth of the vase stand more or less upright.
In the Waddell U.S. Pat. No. 877,145, a cut flower holder is disclosed having a weighted base above which are supported at different levels two apertured plates to receive the stems of the cut flowers.
The Porter U.S. Pat. No. 1,468,743, shows a candy package in the form of a plant growing in a flower pot. The bulk of the candies are contained in the pot, the others being supported above the pot to represent blossoms.
The vase-like display container for candy shown in the Fontlladosa U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,041 has an apertured, dome-shaped cover in whose holes are inserted the stems of lollipops, thereby creating a bouquet of lollipops.